Folding chair



June 1, 1943. c. B. FORSBERG FOLDING CHAIR Filed May 24, 1940 Patented June 1, 1943 FOLDING CHAIR Carl Bernhard Forsberg, Jacobs, Natal, Union of South Africa Application May 24, 1940, Serial No. 336,973 In Union of South Africa September '7, 1939 3 Claims. (01. 155-56) This invention relates to improvements in folding chairs of the general type known as deck chairs, in which a canvas strip forming the seat and back is suspended from the upper ends of two co-acting rectangular frames, located one within the other and connected together so as to fold flat when not in use.

According to one construction of this type of chair, the longitudinal members of each frame are connected together above and below their points of intersection by pivoted connecting bars or links which thereby give the chair a rocking or self-adjusting characteristic when in use. A disadvantage possessed by this type of chair,

is that the fingers of the user are liable to be pinched between the lower edges of the upper connecting bars and the upper edges of the lower connecting bars and the longitudinal frame members, due to the acute angles formed therebetween.

An object of the present invention is to construct the pivoted connecting bars of a chair of this type, of a suitable shape in order to eliminate and avoid the danger of pinching the users fingers in the acute angles formed between said connecting bars and the main longitudinal members of the said frames.

According to the present invention, the upper connecting bars, pivotally connected to the longitudinal members of the two frames, are of substantially shallow U-shape and preferably consist of fiat metal strips having their ends bent downwardly, the extremities of which are pivotally secured to the said frame members, whereby the acute angle normally formed by the use of a straight connecting bar is changed to a less acute or obtuse angle, eliminating the danger of jamming the fingers.

According to a preferred construction, the lower connecting bars are similarly constructed but in this case are placed in the reverse position whereby the bent ends are adapted to extend upwardly.

The upper connecting bars are provided with widened portions, padding or the like, along the straight intermediate parts so that in addition these bars constitute arm rests. The said arm rests may either be secured separately to the said upper connecting bars or may be constructed integTally therewith.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and carried into practice, reference is now made to the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing Fig. l is a side elevation of a chair constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of a chair embodying the preferred construction; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed side elevation of the upper connecting link drawn to an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawing, numeral l denotes the main longitudinal members of the larger or outer frame and 2 the main longitudinal members of the inner frame. The said members I and 2 are secured together by pivoted connecting bars 3 and 4, which are pivotally secured at their ends to the said members I and 2. The upper connecting bar 3 is constructed in the form of a handle having its ends 3a and 3b bent downwardly, whereby the acute angle formed by the bottom edge of a normally straight bar 5, (Fig. 2) is greatly enlarged. Owing to the bars 3 and 4 being pivotally secured to the main frame members, I and 2 the chair is self-adjustable, depending on the position of load concentration carried by the canvas sheet 6.

Fig. 1 illustrates an alternate position (shown in broken lines) where the load is concentrated towards the front of the chair.

During the self-adjustment of the known chair, the users fingers can be jammed in the said acute angles, when the chair is provided with straight connecting bars, which is however avoided by the described construction of the said connecting bar as illustrated by Fig. 3.

In the preferred construction shown in Fig. 2, the lower pivotable connecting bar 1 is of similar construction to the bar 3, but is pivotally secured to the members I and 2 in the reversed position, i. e., with the bent ends directed upwardly.

The upper connecting link 3 is provided with a wooden or like block 8 which is secured to the intermediate portion of the said bar, to form an arm rest. The said arm rest portion may however be constructed integrally with the said bar.

For instance the said link or connecting bar may be constructed of angle iron in which case the horizontally extending flange will provide the arm rest or the surface to which it may be secured. In this form a portion of the said flange is cut away at the curved ends.

What I claim is:

1. A self-adjusting folding chair comprising two coasting frames each provided with a pair of longitudinal side members arranged to have points of intersection, a canvas strip supported at one section from the end of one frame and at the other section from the end of the other frame, two inverted substantially U-shaped connecting bars each pivotally connecting adjacent side members of each frame above said points of intersection, said bars each having a limb of the U pivotally supported on the side member so as to extend upwardly away from a straight line drawn between the pivotal connections of said bar when the folding chair is in seatin position, whereby the inner faces of the limbs of the u form a non-acute angle with the side member,

and two connecting bars each pivotally connecting adjacent side members of each frame below said points of intersection.

2. A chair according to claim 1, wherein the connecting bars below the intersection is U- shaped and so contoured that the inner faces of the U form a non-acute angle with their adjacent side members.

3. An improved chair as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the said first-mentioned connecting bars.

are constructed of flat strip metal bent to shape and have arm rests thereon.

CARL B. FORSBERG. 

